"Summertime" is a George Gershwin song. To be more accurate
(admittedly, only slightly more - I don't actually know what I'm
talking about - haven't y'all figured that out by now?), the music is
by George Gershwin, and the lyrics are by somebody who's last name is
"Heyward." That's what I'm told. And I may be TOTALLY wrong here,
but I THINK it MAY be from "Porgy and Bess." Anyway, the girls have
been doing this song about as long as any other song... Since at
least '85 or '86. Occasionally, back in the good ol' days, this used
to feature a killer flute solo by Ms. Annie "what a babe" Richardson,
or a harmonica solo by Mr. Sandy "all the best harmonica players
suck" Garfinkle. And if you were REALLY lucky, you'd get to see a
ten-minute jam with BOTH of 'em. And, if you were REALLY REALLY
lucky, then Ms. DeDe "this bass is taller than I am" Vogt would be
there to provide a stylin' bass line and to point out that despite
what the lyric says, cotton is high in the springtime. Ah... I DO
miss those days. Anyway, enough nostalgia...
Summertime.
Summertime, and the living is easy
The fish are jumping, the cotton is high
Your daddy's rich, your mama's good looking
I said, hush, little baby, don't you cry.
One of these mornings, you're bound to rise up singing
Then you'll spread your wings, and take to the sky
But until that morning, nothing's going to harm you, no
With your daddy and mama standing by.